By Seyi Babalola
Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Minister of Interior, has tested the electronic gates (e-gates) installed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
While reviewing the facilities on Friday, the minister stated that the installation is 99 percent complete and that the e-gates would be operational by next week.
Addressing the media, the minister stated that the e-gates were being implemented to remove human interfaces, minimize bureaucracy, and make passenger transit in and out of the nation more efficient.
According to him, 29 of the e-gates would be deployed in Lagos, four in Enugu and Kano while Port-Harcourt would have five.
According to reports, the e-gates are equipped with modern facilities required to scan passengers coming into the country via the airports without the usual delay.
The minister said that the Airport Infrastructure and Command and Control Centres have been subjected to different tests with fake and expired passports rejected while genuine ones were cleared.
“With this massive infrastructure, we believe that no unwanted persons or persons of interests can find their ways into Nigeria.
“Our security through the airports and in the airport domains are guaranteed.
“It is a testimony to what Mr President told us from day one on his Renewed Hope Agenda. He asked us to change the narratives and make passengers movements in and out of the country seamless,” he said.
Tunji-Ojo further stated that the era of unnecessary delays for passengers who come into the country due to manual scanning by Immigration officers would be a thing of the past by the time e-gates become functional.
The minister spoke of the need for the country to add another layer to its national security architecture by having about two or three licence verifications.
